Help for Google Earth Image Download - revisited

jbl

Posted 20 June 2010 - 08:36 AM

I see questions about the topic of use of Google map tiles in different forums, like this old one (02/19/2007) by Bhupesh.

"Please let me know is there any method to download Google Earth Images with projection information intact (not the simple .jpg images which do not contain any projection parameters."

Some of the answers dealt with getting/ using the images, some of them dealt with the right to use these Google images (tiles) 'for commercial purposes'.

It is my contention that as long as I don't convey any portion of the actual Google map or the tiles that the map is comprised of, I can download and do anything that I want to do with them.

I can georeference and project them over a shape file that I am working on and compare the accuracy of my shape file data to that of Google.

If I choose and if I believe the Google data to be more accurate than my existing data, I can modify my data to match that of the Google tile map.

I have developed a means to download and accurately project Google map tiles (Streets zoom level 15, 12 miles X 12 miles extent at a time, Satellite zoom level 15, 6 X 6 miles extent at a time) . These are about the largest extents (number of map tiles) that ArcGis wants to work with without really slowing down on my machine.

In the attached image snippet I have overlaid a US Census Tiger shp file over the Google map tiles for the corresponding area. I have found Tiger files to either be dead on and totally accurate for a given county or terribly out of date. I even called them and they just said some counties don't give them up to date information.

Anyway as long as I just use my edited shape file and do not in any way publish or transmit the Google tiles or map, I see nothing wrong with this.tiles_shp.png62.8KB64 downloads

Nick H

Posted 20 June 2010 - 11:24 AM

Nick H

Legendary Contributor

Validated Member

307 posts

Gender:Male

Location:Caversham, Reading, England.

United Kingdom

If I choose and if I believe the Google data to be more accurate than my existing data, I can modify my data to match that of the Google tile map...Anyway as long as I just use my edited shape file and do not in any way publish or transmit the Google tiles or map, I see nothing wrong with this.

The changes made to the shape file would be 'derived data', but I have no idea what view Google would take of this. However, were I to do the same thing with Ordnance Survey mapping here in England I know exactly what the Survey's view would be (they would drop a Bechstein concert grand on my head).

I'd just mention that recent versions of Quantum GIS have a plug-in that will import OSM, Google and Yahoo layers directly into QGIS. See the attached for an example, a shape file for an electoral ward in the town where I live overlaid on Google mapping. The plug-in, 'OpenLayers', is still a little temperamental, but it's getting there.

Regards, N.

Attached Files

jbl

Posted 20 June 2010 - 06:49 PM

jbl

Contributor

Validated Member

27 posts

Location:JoCo_KS

United States

I hadn't considered the 'derived data' concept but if this would be representative of using 'derived data' then what would be the use/ purpose of using the plug in for Quantum GIS to import Google or other layers. It seems that with this line of thinking anything that you would do with that imported layer would be wrong. Perhaps I am overlooking a practical use that would be OK.

pghardy

Posted 21 June 2010 - 09:12 AM

pghardy

Master Contributor

Validated Member

102 posts

Gender:Male

Location:Cambridge, UK

United Kingdom

...It is my contention that as long as I don't convey any portion of the actual Google map or the tiles that the map is comprised of, I can download and do anything that I want to do with them. I can georeference and project them over a shape file that I am working on and compare the accuracy of my shape file data to that of Google. If I choose and if I believe the Google data to be more accurate than my existing data, I can modify my data to match that of the Google tile map.

I have developed a means to download and accurately project Google map tiles (Streets zoom level 15, 12 miles X 12 miles extent at a time, Satellite zoom level 15, 6 X 6 miles extent at a time) . These are about the largest extents (number of map tiles) that ArcGis wants to work with without really slowing down on my machine....Anyway as long as I just use my edited shape file and do not in any way publish or transmit the Google tiles or map, I see nothing wrong with this.

I am not a lawyer, but from a quick look at the Google Maps/Earth Terms of Service at http://maps.google.c...terms_maps.html, that may well contravene both 2(b) (''copy of content', and 'derived works'), and also 2(e) ('mass downloads').

I assume that Google have negotiated terms with their data suppliers for the content data to be used within the Google products (which would doubtless have cost Google more if the terms had not been restrictive). Google clearly does not intend that the content should be able to be downloaded and used in other environments.

To play devil's advocate, I suggest that as a profession which is very dependent on copyright to protect its own intellectual property and income stream, cartographers (like software developers)should be extra careful about not infringing the legal conditions attached to data and to software.

Note that, even more than usual, I speak as an individual professional and not for my employer!